Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion Review – Bigger, Bolder, But Still Uneven

Marvelous has returned to its mech-action series with Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion, a direct sequel to the 2019 Nintendo Switch-exclusive Daemon x Machina. Six years later, the series gets a major rework with a smaller-scale approach to mechs, expanded open-world exploration, and a deeper customization system. The result is a stronger and more confident game, though one still held back by performance struggles and narrative rough edges.

Cameron Swan’s review on GameRant offers a clear perspective on what Titanic Scion achieves and where it falters. The game benefits from smart adjustments to its core systems, but the Nintendo Switch 2 port in particular makes it difficult to enjoy at its best. Swan’s assessment highlights the way Titanic Scion steps up its mechanical depth while simultaneously tripping over technical hurdles.

The story takes place hundreds of years after the events of the original Daemon x Machina. Despite familiar faction names like the Reclaimers and Outers, their roles have been reimagined in a new setting. Players assume the role of an Outer who is forced to abandon their own ranks, only to eventually side with the Reclaimers in their desperate fight for survival on a decaying planet. The plot offers a surprising amount of character variety and narrative twists, but some of the late-game reveals come off as rushed and convoluted. The delivery also suffers from stilted lip-syncing, awkward pauses in cutscenes, and combat dialogue that becomes repetitive over time. The anime-inspired flair is certainly present, but the execution isn’t always consistent.

Where Titanic Scion shines brightest is in gameplay. The massive building-sized mechs of the first game have been replaced with smaller exosuit-like Arsenals, offering much faster and more fluid movement. Taking flight with a quick double-tap feels satisfying, especially in open areas, and the combat loop has been restructured around versatility and experimentation. Combat revolves around four primary weapon categories—Firearms, Melee, Special, and Shield—each branching into multiple unique weapon types that behave differently in practice. The melee system, enhanced by a flinch mechanic, encourages aggressive play while maintaining balance against ranged combat.

Customization pushes Titanic Scion forward even further. Every piece of an Arsenal—from helmets and vambraces to greaves—can be mixed, matched, and upgraded. Add-ons and attachments extend the possibilities, while a Mutation system tied to defeating giant Immortal enemies introduces even more depth. These mechanics create a loop where scavenging parts from fallen enemies or bosses becomes meaningful, and each encounter feeds into experimentation.

Boss battles against the elite Neun squad represent the game at its most ambitious. These duels combine over-the-top anime styling with mechanics inspired by stealth-action series like Metal Gear, creating fights that challenge players to rethink their setups. Battles against Neun members range from invisibility gimmicks to commandeering turrets or controlling enemy creatures, ensuring variety throughout the campaign.

Titanic Scion also leans into open-world design, splitting its environments into three large biomes filled with optional content. Players can encounter roaming enemies, mine resources, uncover weapon caches, and test themselves against powerful overworld bosses. Sovereign Axiom Facilities, dungeon-like instanced areas with extraction shooter elements, add structured challenges. Though these dungeons can sometimes clash with the game’s fast-paced flight mechanics due to tight spaces, they provide extra content for players looking to grind gear or test builds.

The Reclaimer Base hub ties everything together. It centralizes mission selection, loadout customization, crafting, and cosmetic options, streamlining the downtime between missions. Cosmetic freedom is extensive, with color schemes, decals, and transmog options giving players the chance to build unique Arsenal looks without sacrificing performance. Optional side content like Overbullet, a card game, and the Coliseum, a set of 1v1 combat challenges, provide diversions that fit comfortably within the game’s tone.

The campaign can be finished in roughly ten hours, but the breadth of side content and co-op play expands its lifespan. The inclusion of three-player co-op with shared mission progress ensures that multiplayer doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

Unfortunately, Titanic Scion’s performance undermines much of its progress on Nintendo Switch 2. While the game doesn’t drain the handheld’s battery excessively and character models are serviceable, the environments lack polish. Textures often appear flat and blurry, and projectiles blend into backgrounds, sometimes causing unfair deaths. The framerate is inconsistent, with frequent dips in larger battles and occasional crashes when resuming from standby mode. Camera issues further disrupt fights against massive enemies, and lengthy loading times become frustrating due to constant biome-hub travel. These technical problems highlight the need for more optimization on Nintendo’s hardware.

Despite the Switch 2 shortcomings, Titanic Scion benefits from an impressive soundtrack. Produced by the Bandai Namco Studio Sound Team, its mix of techno and metal energizes both combat and exploration, reinforcing the game’s intensity. The music sustains momentum even when the visuals struggle to keep pace.

At its core, Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion is a rewarding mech-action game. Its experimental systems, flexible customization, and vibrant boss design elevate it above the mixed reception of its predecessor. However, clunky storytelling and technical flaws keep it from securing its place among the best mech-action experiences of the generation. It succeeds most when players are airborne, experimenting with builds, and testing themselves against daunting enemies. It falters when the world feels flat or when performance pulls players out of immersion.

For players who found potential in the original but wanted more refinement, Titanic Scion delivers. For those looking for a polished Nintendo Switch 2 showcase, its issues may prove difficult to ignore. Marvelous has crafted a better, broader, and more complex sequel, but it remains uneven in execution.